Monday, January 8, 2018

Moving Forward ~ 2018 Plans and Goals

2017 was not a good year for me. Most of the year I was too sick to sew, too sick to do many things. I spent a good deal of time shopping for more fabric and patterns. I purchased a few new machines too (new coverstitch, new to me serger, and new embroidery machine). Near the end of 2017 I started to feel ok enough that I could be in the sewing room for small bits of time. However, I would get so overwhelmed by the amount of fabric I have that I just couldn't sew much of anything!

I know some people have a much larger fabric stash than I do, and some have smaller; however, for me, this amount is just too much. It dampers my creativity. So I decided for 2018 I will buy no more fabric. This is going to be super hard because, OMG look at all the pretty fabric! Pushing this further, I will be buying no patterns this year either. 2018 is going to be a year of using what I have. Use it, Make it.

Another thing that has bothered me is that I tend to get fabric and never want to cut into it. Fear that I will mess it up and lose that fabric. No more. I am going to just go for it and use everything in my stash without fear! I learned that there will always be fabric I covet.

Unedited mess of fabric stash below. those boxes under the coverstitch box are filled with “muslin” fabric – or stuff I wouldn’t use due to color or feel. I’m curious to see the “after” picture at the end of this year.

Finally, I also want to use my patterns. I have tons. I have lots of plans for patterns I already have and I just never get around to sewing them all. This year I’m going to use them! I have spreadsheets and lists of patterns I want to make so I’m forcing myself to make them. Mainly my Burda magazines need to be used. Of course I have many Jalie and Ottobre to get around to sewing, some of the Big 4, and also many independent designer patterns.

Here are some pictures of my pattern stash. They are many more unseen in drawers, the cabinet, and copy shop PDF’s some seen above in the fabric stash shot.

To help me stay on goal, I joined the 2018 RTW Fasters hosted by Goodbye Valentino. I’m excited that this group will keep me on track. Most are fasting only from buying RTW. But there are a few of us who are also fabric/pattern fasting too.

I think I attempted to stash bust in 2016? I don’t remember exactly, but 2017 the flood gates opened.

So, I look forward to 2018 being a year of using things, making things, reducing the fabric stash.

What are you goals for 2018? Will you be on a pattern/fabric freeze as well?

10 comments:

I completely understand your situation. Many times I have gone into my sewing and just become paralyzed by my overwhelming choices. I haven't committed to the RTW challenge but I am on a fabric and pattern fast for this year. Step number one for me...organize my crazy fabric stash!

So glad to hear you are feeling more yourself and are planning for more sewing time this year. I appreciate your perspective on patterns. I too have been overwhelmed by my stash of fabrics and patterns but am doing the same...cut it up and use it! I mean, what's the worst that can happen? I make a garment I don't like? I've been pushing myself to focus on my technical skills so I look at every failure as a part of that process. I joined 52 Weeks of Sewing (fun challenge each week) and Make a Garment a Month...which gets me past overwhelmed and sewing. Met the first week's challenge of warm/soft with a Sew House 7 Toaster Sweater...a stash pattern and stash fabric.

I look forward to following your blog. I really need to try a Jalie pattern this year given how many successful garments you sew from their patterns.

Thanks Shari! I focus on the good days and try to sleep off the bad days :) Thank you for your awesome comment. It makes me feel good to know others enjoy my reviews. I've been so afraid of not liking what I sew or messing it up that I freeze. I think I was way more adventurous when I was a newbie.Those challenges sound like fun! I hope you enjoy them. I also hope you give Jalie a try; they are so amazing. I actually just got accepted to test patterns for them!! (I may have squealed like a small girl!) Here's to an amazing 2018 and thanks for reading!

I'm with you this year. Clean out and sew from stash fabric and patterns. I'm afraid your stash is small compared to mine, but nevertheless, stash is stash and overwhelming to me now. I look forward to following our year and happy to hear you are feeling well enough to get started!

I hear you! I don't mind having a stash; even a larger one...but sometimes it gets to be too much. I've also resolved to pull way back on fabric and pattern purchases for 2018. As of right now, that's no new fabric prior to May 1 (and to NOT go crazy after that date!) and only 18 new patterns this year. I am also planning to sew a minimum of 18 Burda magazine patterns.

Focus on the goal and not the reasoning behind it! It's easy to beat yourself up over the impromptu purchases, especially when it ends up being a cut of fabric you're not interested in wearing as a garment. And you have the fortune of being able to sew for the kids and use up more stash that way!

Thanks for the advice Nakisha! I know I would beat myself up lol. I almost made 2 fabric purchases today but clicked out of the cart on both. Whew. That was close!I do sew some for the kids still, but they are getting more picky now. Thank you and I hope your hand starts to feel better in 2018!

It's great to know someone in the RTW fast! I'm not making a goal to fast completely from fabric, but I do want to try to use what I have before I buy new fabric. I don't think my fabric stash is huge, but it does feel large to me. Some of it was gifted and some I will never use. I don't think I can fast completely from fabric because there are some projects I don't have the right fabric or right amount of fabric for. I am going to try to buy less patterns this year, but it's so hard when there are new patterns coming out all the time!